Poration



Aug. 7, 1928.

C. G. HAWLEY LOCOMOTIVE STEAM PURIFIER Original Filed May 1925 Reissued Aug. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GENTRIFIX GOR- PORA'I'ION, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LOQOMOTIVE STEAM PURIFIER.

Original No. 1,668,905, dated My invention relates to locomotiveboilers and the like, .having steam domes from which the-steam is taken, andinoreespecial- 1y this invention relates to means for drying thesteam before it is permittedto leave the boiler.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective steam purifier or dryer adapted fortemployment directly within the domeof a boiler and, further, to provide a steam purifying apparatus that may be installed and removed without disturbing any part ofthe boiler and with-aminimum of labor. Other objeetsof the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention will be readily understood on reference to theaccompanying drawing, :in which Fig. 1 is a-vertical longitudinal section of thedomed top of. a locomotiveboiler; Fig. -2-is flnSGGtlOl'lfll view thereof on the line 22 of Fig. 1 =F ig. 3 is-like untoFig. 1 but shows the purifier or steam dryer directly :serving the dry pipe of theboiler, it being assumed that the throttle valve is in the front-end of the boiler; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the linedl of Fig. 3 Fig. 5 is .a vertical section of one of the cen- =trifuga1isteamj purifying units; Fig. dis a sectionthereof "on-the line 66 of Fig. 5'; @Fig. .7 .is an tenlargedesectional detail "showking how the pan portion of the device is supported.

i "The part 2in Fig.1 representstheftop-of a locomotive boiler shell containing the large opening 3 which is covered by the dome 4. The top of the dome 'contains the usuallar'ge central openings and is closed :by the-usual dome cap 5. a

The groove 4" andthe. packingv 6 between :the-dome-top and the cap are best shown in Fig. '7 v The part 8 represents an ordinary throttle valve box on the rear end of the boiler:dry

ipe 9. It contains the throttle valve '10. The-structure of Fig. 3 is identical with that bf-Fig. 1 except that the throttle box is relaced .bv the upturned steam receiving elbow 11 belonging'tothe-dry pipe 12. In both cases the steam from the uppervpart of "the boiler, rises into "the dome "and thence passes down into the dry pipe, the openings of the dry, pipe=bein g pla ed as. high as pos' May 8, 1928; Serial No. 27,852, filed May 4, 192 5. Application Iorreissue 'filed May 26, 1928.

Serial No. 280,863

sible above the steam disengagement surface. According to my inventlon a steam -drying or purifying device is so interposed that 56 thesteam must pass through it and be relieveclof its burden of moisture and solids before the steam reaches the dry pipe. This novel steam purifying-device comprises only two parts; or, more exactly, parts of two kinds, for one of the :parts may be duplicated.

The larger part comprises ashallow metal .pan a of a size to drop down through the hole in the top of the dome. The pan is supported by a top flange a which rests in the packing groove 4", and is fastened by the dome-cap. The bottom of the pan contalns a holea and fits down voverthetop of the throttle box 8, orover-thetop'of the elbow 11. In the absenceof a tight fit suitable packing maybe used between the pan bottom and the part 8 or 11 on which-itfits.

No very tight joint is requiredfor as will appear the interior of the pan is always in free communication with the steam space ofthe boiler. I a

The remaining portions of the panbottom contain, first,openings v9 or 12 for the upper. ends of suclrauxlliary dry-pipesas may be found in thetdome, and, second, one or .more holes a for the centrifugal separator .ing 6 thus to present the overhanging annular shoulder or abutment '6 at the top of the tuyere ring. The tuyere ring is composed of a circumferential series of operatively overlapping tangential t-uyere blades 6 These form the long slit-like= tangential 10o tuyeresb which reach from top to bottom of the :tuyere ring. Thelower end of the tuyere ring is occupiedb-ythe closure 6 pref ra y chara t r zed. by the p p groove 6 Each unit hangs through an opening a in the bottom of the pan a. The extended margin '1) of the ring rests on and is fastened to the bottom of the pan, as by a plurality of bolts 0. v

If a single unit is'employed the opening 6 in the top thereof should slightly exceed the cross sectional area of the throttle valve when fully opened. As a rule it is more practical to employ several smaller centrifugal units, and in such cases, the outlet openings 6 thereof likewise aggregate an area in excess of that called for by the throttle valve and dry pipe. Next, in each case, the aggregate area of the long tuyeres b is preferably greater than the area of the opening 6? and may be double that area.

Upon the removal of the dome cap the units 1) may be lifted from the pan, as for purposes of inspection or replacement. When the dome cap is taken off and the pan a is removed, a mere matter of lifting the pan out of the dome, the dome is left entirely free and a workman may enterthe boiler through the dome. In other words, the addition of the described freely removable parts does not complicate or change the boiler construction in any particular.

It will at once be evident that the tuyeres b and the top openings 6 of the centrifugal units are constantly open and that as they are adequate dimensions, the pressure within the pan will always be the same as that in the steam space of the boiler.

Whenthe throttle valve of the dry pipe is closed there is no movement of steam through the units or pan, but upon the open- 7 take on a very rapid whirling movement. 1

These operations result in centrifugally separating the heavier moisture globules and particles of solid matter, leaving them upon the inner surfaces of the turyere blades and in much the same whirling condition as the steam. The overhanging annular abutment b prevents the upward movement of the collected substances, downward reaction taking place and there is a continuous delivery of the heavier substances to the periphery of the bottom or closure 1), and thence back into the boiler.

The steam'being freed from this burden moves into the pan in a dry state, and, within the limits of locomotive practice, the greater the volume of steam, the greater its velocity through the fixed centrifugal units and the better the assurance of dryness.

The novel structure taken as a Whole is not only complete in itself, so that it may be easily removed, and put back into the dome as a unit, but it is practically self-cleaning, and so little subjected to wear that it retains its effectiveness after long periods of use.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

- 1. A boiler dome and dome cap, in combination with a dry pipe leading from said dome, a removable pan in said dome, and one or more centrifugal separators depending from the bottom of said pan, said pan receiving the upper end of said dry pipe and said separators and pan forming the avenue through which the steam must pass to reach said dry pipe.

2. A boiler dome and dome cap, in combination with a dry pipe leadingfrom said dome, a

removable pan in said dome and receiving the upper end of said pipe, one or more centrifugal separators depending from the bottom of said pan and forming the avenue through which the steam must pass to reach said pan and dry pipe, each said unit being formed and adapted to throw the separated moisture back into the boiler.

3'. A boiler dome having'an opening in its top, in combination with a dome cap normally closing said opening, a dry pan hanging within said dome from'the margin of the opening in the top of the dome and held by said cap, and a steam purifying means hanging from said pan.

4. A boiler dome having an opening in its top, in combination with a dome cap normally closing said opening, a dry pan hanging within said dome and held by saidcap, the bottom of said pan containing a steam outlet, the bottom of said pan also containing one or more steam inlet openings and steam purifying devices hanging from the bottom of said pan at the respective steam inlet openings.

' 5. .A boiler dome and dome cap, in combination with a dry pan hanging within said dome and held b said cap, said pan and cap completing a ry steam chamber, in combination with one or more centrifugal steam purifying devices hangin 'from'the bottom said pan and through w ich the steamenters the pan.

6. A boiler having an opening in the'top of itsshell, in combination with a steam dome positioned above and closing said opening, aplurality of dry pipes rising through said opening and into said dome, centrifugal steam drying means positioned in said dome and including a dry steam compartment from which alone said dry pipes are supplied with steam. Y

7. A boiler having an opening in the top of its shell, in combination with a steam dome positioned above and closing said opening, a plurality of dry pipes rising through said opening and into said dome, centrifugal steam drying means positioned in said dome, a supporting structure for said drying means, and said structure together with parts of said dome forming a dry steam compartment from which alone said dry pipes are supplied with steam.

8. A steam boiler having an opening in the top of its shell, in combination with a steam dome positioned above and closing said opening, means cooperating with a portion of the enclosing wall of said dome to form a dry steam compartment within said dome, centrifugal steam drying means also positioned in said dome and wholly in advance of and communication with said comartment, whereby, moisture is excluded rom said compartment and only dry steam is supplied thereto, and a dry pipe rising through said opening into said dome and in communication with said compartment.

9. A steam boiler having an opening in the top of its shell, in combination with a steam dome positioned above and closing said opening, a horizontal floor structure within said dome and containing a steam entrance and a steam exit in substantially the same horizontal plane below the top of said dome, said structure and dome together forming a dry steam compartment in the upper part of the dome, a steam purifier positioned at said steam entrance and depending from said structure, and, a dry pipe rising through the opening in the shell and having. an upper end which occupies the said steam exit in the floor structure.

10. A boiler having an opening in the top of its shell, in combination with a .steam dome positioned above and closing said opening, a plurality of dry pipes rising through said opening and into said dome, centrifugal steam drying means positioned in said'dome and including a dry steam compartment from which alone said dry pipes are supplied with steam, said steam drying means being constructed and arranged for conducting the separated moisture therefrom.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of May, A. D. 1928.

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY. 

